Peritoneal cavity in the context of "Ascites"

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the development of a bacterial infection in the peritoneum, despite the absence of an obvious source for the infection. It is specifically an infection of the ascitic fluid – an increased volume of peritoneal fluid. Ascites is most commonly a complication of cirrhosis of the liver. It can also occur in patients with nephrotic syndrome. SBP has a high mortality rate.

The diagnosis of SBP requires paracentesis, a sampling of the peritoneal fluid taken from the peritoneal cavity. If the fluid contains large numbers of white blood cells known as neutrophils (>250 cells/μL), infection is confirmed and antibiotics will be given, without waiting for culture results. In addition to antibiotics, infusions of albumin are usually administered.

In pharmacokinetics, a compartment is a defined volume of body fluids, typically of the human body, but also those of other animals with multiple organ systems. The meaning in this area of study is different from the concept of anatomic compartments, which are bounded by fasciae, the sheath of fibrous tissue that enclose mammalian organs. Instead, the concept focuses on broad types of fluidic systems. This analysis is used in attempts to mathematically describe distribution of small molecules throughout organisms with multiple compartments. Various multi-compartment models can be used in the areas of pharmacokinetics and pharmacology, in the support of efforts in drug discovery, and in environmental science.

In humans and related organisms, there are five major body compartments: the blood plasma, interstitial fluids, fat tissues, intracellular fluids, and transcellular fluids, the latter of which includes fluids in the pleural (peritoneal) cavity. The relative percents of body mass of these are included in the pie chart above.

The perimetrium (or serous coat of uterus) is the outer serosal layer of the uterus, derived from the peritoneum overlying the uterine fundus, and can be considered a visceral peritoneum. It consists of a superficial layer of mesothelium, and a thin layer of loose connective tissue beneath it.

Anteriorly, the perimetrium covers the fundus and upper body of the uterus until it meets the superoposterior surface of the adjacent urinary bladder, resulting in a concave fold of peritoneum called the vesicouterine pouch. Posteriorly, the perimetrium covers the entire surface of the uterus deep down to the cervix, where it then folds back onto the adjacent rectum to form the rectouterine pouch, the lowest gutter of the peritoneal cavity. Laterally, the perimetrium blends into the serosae of the broad ligaments.